Regarding the tea leaf reading of Diane Feinstein's body language after the Comey meeting yesterday.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

Have you ever been in a situation in your life where you have a suspicion that something bad has gone on, that all signs and evidence point to something bad having gone on, but before you receive definitive proof of that bad thing, it's still just theoretical and out there in the ether?

And then you finally receive proof positive confirmation that what you've suspected all along is in fact the truth, and it just slams you like a huge blow? Even though you've been proven right, because of what has just been proven right is such a downer, instead of wanting to gloat, you just feel absolutely dejected because it proves the worst in people? That you'd rather be proven wrong because the truth is so much worse of a reflection of people?

I honestly think the Senators in that meeting received proof positive confirmation that the person who is the sitting President of the United States colluded with a foreign power in order to influence the US presidential election. And that is horrible and that is unprecedented in this country's history because it weakens us. Our national sovereignty and independence was compromised to the core.

There's no reason for Diane Feinstein to be smiling or feel smug about that. There's no reason for any of us to smile or feel smug about that. It's the truth, the utterly depressing truth.

When the US House committee began to vote to start impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon following Watergate, some of the members voting had tears in their eyes as they voted yes. The tears were not for Richard Nixon. The tears were due to the gravity of the situation and the sobering truth and undertaking they were being called to carry.

[RDANGELO]

1. Whatever the FBI is into, it is darn serious. n/t

[FakeNoose]

69. Yep - they're all shaking and wondering WTF do we do now?

[LiberalLovinLug]

154. I am hoping that they all (top Dems as well) have not decided for the sake of "stability"

to cover it all up and let it slide. Look forward and all that. Under the argument that it would look bad to the rest of the world and to the reputation of the US's system, and maybe they'd argue it would also effect the credibility of the American intelligence community around the world, making it a national security issue. And that is why Feinstein looks perturbed.

[bathroommonkey76]

163. I think they're upset b/c their colleagues in Congress are implicated in this mess.

Grassley and Feinstein could give two shits about Trump-- Just think about it. Most of the senators are friends and have served with one another for decades. I suspect there's a huge scandal brewing and Comey is taking his time to make sure he has all the pieces.

Does anyone know why Burr and McConnell weren't invited to these meetings with Comey?

[Mars and Minerva]

171. Burr seems likely. Did you notice how sick Nunes looked at his news confrence with Schiff yesterday

He looked as if he were stunned and Schiff was holding the whole thing together.

[Sunlei]

137. I just hope she's not sad because Republicans will get away with all the crimes.

[BobTheSubgenius]

169. I'm with you - I hope it's not that, too. VERY MUCH.

However, I think the odds are better than even that her overarching emotion would be anger.

[populistdriven]

153. Remember "... it's the Cover-up"? Well what if the reason for the tweet was

exactly that! How better to cover-up your fishing expedition for the "hidden and widely distributed evidence" that Obama scattered throughout various National Security departments than to tweet a made up claim so Trump could then use as cover to start searching for all the copies of the supposed evidence?

Even more ironic would be if Obama hadn't chummed the waters at all. If it was simply a rumor placed to start his frantic searching to cover it up and thereby expose exactly what investigators needed to look for. Even if it doesn't lead to anything it shows the behavior of the guilty party that can be used to corroborate evidence collected by other means.

Oldest trick in the DEA's book.

[FakeNoose]

155. Comey was already looking before Trump tweeted about Obama

So your theory would be right on, if Comey hadn't already been on the case.
It kinda looks like Comey is finding evidence to hang Trump on.

Or, maybe he's just doing his job and going where the evidence leads him.
I hope that's what he's doing.

[Amaryllis]

161. It was this OP thread that made me think of this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028801546
Theory on why it's taking so long for info to be declassified - the scope of corruption is so vast..

[Achilleaze]

2. republican Comrade Casino plans to dodge responsibility for treason against USA

the way he dodged the draft.

[mulsh]

3. Her eyes and expression looked the same when she announced Moscone and Milk had been killed.

Her supervisor office was in between the mayor and Milk's office, she'd heard the shots. She had just felt for Milk's pulse before meeting the press and public and making the announcement. Same look in her eyes and expression on her face.

I've seen Difi in public and in private moments over the years. I worked across the street from her private office on Pacific St. in SF when she was not in public service. I don't claim to know her but I can assure you that was not a very happy or comfortable Difi standing next to the gobsmacked Grassley yesterday.

[kstewart33]

7. Thanks for your post. nt

[keepthemhonestO]

23. interesting

thanks for sharing, nice find.

[blueseas]

31. Thanks for posting.

n/t

[anneboleyn]

45. MTE! I seriously thought EXACTLY the same thing, and I hesitated to post it since that incident

was so horrible and so tragic (I lived in the East Bay for years -- well after the days of Harvey Milk so I had no personal/immediate connection to that hideous event -- but everyone who lives in the Bay Area has seen that image of Feinstein and heard the gathered persons gasping and shouting out in horror). I wondered if I should post it but you have done it for me, and I thought the exact same thing. I wonder what we will be hearing -- I'd be very surprised from their body language if it turned out to be nothing, "no collusion."

[certainot]

57. if you watch the whole vid there is a point where she 'smiles'

- that suggests at least there was something to be glad about

if comey just confirmed trump was a russian stooge there'd be some joy/smirkiness involved in realizing they could get rid of the crap in the white house while recognizing the job ahead, with trump and limbaugh kicking and screaming all the way

[LeftofObama]

84. Do you have a link to that video?

I've been wanting to see it.

[Catherine Vincent]

97. I think it's here:

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/senate-intel-leaders-feinstein-and-grassley-grim-and-silent-after-trump-russia-briefings-with-comey/

[LeftofObama]

104. Thanks for that!

This whole Russian thing has me on the edge of my seat every day. I think if we don't know something more definitive by the end of March the public is going to start demanding answers.

[Mad-in-Mo]

143. Link goes to story but video won't play

I googled the video and can't find any that will play. Is it my computer or has it been taken down?
Edited to add, found it at youtube

[Catherine Vincent]

158. Thanks.

[Cracklin Charlie]

78. The way they looked at each other...

There were a couple of instances in the clip from yesterday, where the two senators locked eyes very briefly.

I felt like I was looking in on a disturbing secret that they shared. The quick glance had sort of a "what will we tell the children" quality about it.

The looks between them were unnerving, to say the least.

[monmouth4]

4. She did look as if to break down and cry. It's bad, whatever it is. The both of them already know

45 is a crooked criminal with huge russian ties. I think it must be something additional..

[bathroommonkey76]

165. This is the second time Feinstein has been caught on video after meeting with Comey

The first time she had tears in her eyes-- What would cause tears in a senator's eyes? My take is this... Feinstein and Grassley both know their colleagues in the senate are involved-- Years of friendship would cause tears and numbing looks.

[dalton99a]

5. Reminds me of people after a diagnosis of terminal cancer

[joet67]

43. And that is an apt description of things, if it all is true. Without excising it,

it will kill our democracy.

[KittyWampus]

6. It seems to go further than Trump. We're going to need rolling impeachments.

It's of paramount importance for Democrats to position things so that they have a say in who the first VP pick is and then who the second VP pick is.

Preferably two very moderate Republicans from the Senate.

With the understanding that their replacements WILL be Democrats.

[Eyeball_Kid]

28. The Constitution is clear about lines of succession. It doesn't include your scenario.

[Stonepounder]

36. It is a valid scenario.

Trump is impeached and removed.
Vice-President becomes President - Mike Pence
New Vice-President is chosen - NVP*.
Mike Pence is impeached and removed.
New Vice-President becomes President - NVP*.

*NVP = New Vice-President

[Tommy_Carcetti]

56. My dream scenario is that....

Trump gets impeached and removed, a humbled and embarrassed Mike Pence becomes President, chooses Hillary Clinton as his Vice President, and then he resigns out of shame and embarrassment of his association with Donald Trump.

And then we get Hillary Clinton, the popular vote winner of the 2016 election, as the 47th President of the United States and a great wrong upon this country is righted.


Hey, I said it's my dream scenario. I have no illusions that anything of the sort could ever happen because I know Mike Pence would never be capable of that sort of humility and magnanimity.

[delisen]

81. Unless politician decide to pressure him into a deal.

Yes these are long shots and often Democrats in office have other reasons for not attempting to set things right. As politicians they are deal makers, and sometimes their deal making does not reflect justice.

If the evidence for collusion is incontrovertible, the Trump/Pence ticket did not win. Installing Pence does not heal, it further divides because for him to benefit and gain the power to shape America and our lives is unjust to the citizens.

We need to start demanding justice for ourselves as citizens as voters, or else we the people are without meaningful power.

If we demand justice and lose---another illegitimate president and the rest of the world will at least be put on notice-and that will curtail the illegitimate president's power to make radical changes and be a strong sign that democracy is going town over authoritarianism.

In 2000 the argument for Bush was that he would be irreparably harmed if if there was a recount. The standing of the people, the voters, our right to have our votes counted should have been paramount. If millions of people had protested at the time, things today would be very different.

I agree that Pence would not willingly do the right thing.

[JudyM]

90. Shrub did not win Florida. He remained in office after this truth was revealed.

[Alice11111]

91. Really, we have fallen victim to falling on our sword,

and let the Repubs have it, even though they really didn’t win, long enough. They start yelling, good of the country, and we cower. In fact, the Repubs can pretty much count on it.

They would have turned the country upside down if the reverse had happened...2000, Swiftboating, FBI & Russian interference.

We need to fight. Call for a recall. Fed courts and state . File civil and criminal cases against all of them. Use every statute and constitutional interpretation imaginable...that is how new law is often made. That's how we got Citizens United! This is important stuff, nothing in our country outside of the Civil War, has been more important.
To go down losing is honorable when you are right and the stakes are high. At least try! To let them slap us around with lies, tricks, fraud, treason and cheating is not honorable.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

99. I'd love to say yes.

Realistically, the chances we'll see a Democratic president before January 2021 are next to none. It's a dreary realization but one we must soberly have to accept.

At this point all we can really do is one thing at a time, and the most pressing issue of them all is getting rid of a president who it seems more and more likely colluded with a foreign government for his own political gain.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

93. remember she said "I'm not going anywhere" almost like she knew it would eventually happen

[Eyeball_Kid]

128. Your positing a conciliatory gesture on the part of Republicans that is not in their nature.

There is no way that they would agree to a Democrat as VP. If, say, Ryan and McConnell were both arrested for espionage, and the entire Trumpy Cabinet were rendered incapable of succeeding those before them, you might get down to a coalition government, but we're approaching science fiction territory now, complete with Reptilians and greys.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

132. Of course not. nt

[itcfish]

59. This is a Whole Other

scenario, something no one ever counted on happening, Election tampering. This makes the whole election invalid.

[sarah FAILIN]

119. I think so too

But you know how it will go down. Nothing will change.

[Big_K]

86. NVP Paul Ryan

I think that is what he has been working on all along.

At least he won't be my representative anymore!!

[KittyWampus]

89. Not if Ryan is at all implicated in investigations.

[KittyWampus]

88. This is exactly what I am saying. Thanks for stating it clearly.

[tavalon]

174. The more likely scenario

Is they are both impeached because they are inextricably locked together with the many people who had substantive conversations with the Russians. Sadly, that means the Speaker of the House would ascend to the office of President and he will get to pick the new VP. Now if Ryan is also indicted and there is no evidence even hinting at that, then the succession goes? I've never bothered to research further than the Speaker who is unspeakable.

I've fought with so many people about the need to impeach Trump because they say, without fail, that Pence would be worse. But lately, thanks a great deal to my return to watching Rachel Maddow, whom I had given up on, leads me to the inevitable conclusion that Pence has a big ass red X on his head too. Trump will stay until he's impeached and removed from office. Will Pence? Hmmm.

BTW, if you gave up on Rachel as many BernieCrats, now called Justice Democrats, get thee back there. She is breaking news almost daily. I would call her the Woodward/Bernstein of our generation but really she's more Dan Rather in his prime. Seriously, get over yourselves and watch. History is being televised.

[radical noodle]

49. If Pence goes first

there most assuredly will be another VP picked... as with Agnew, Nixon and Ford.

[KittyWampus]

87. That is exactly what the Constitution says. Remove POTUS and VP takes over. After Pence

sworn in he picks a moderate VP. Pence is removed and the moderate VP takes the helm and picks ANOTHER moderate VP.

[tblue37]

144. Unfortunately, there no longer seem to be ANY moderate Republicans in office. nt

[usaf-vet]

124. So this is a case where they will follow the Constitution while at

the same time 45 is writing Executive Orders that IGNORE the Constitution. Leave it to the republicans to bend the rules to fit their needs. IMO the Bush v Gore SCOTUS was a clear signal that the Constitution is only a tool we use when it benefits us. Madding!

[lostnfound]

173. Constitution didn't contemplate President Gerald Ford, either.

Never elected nationally.

[Sunlei]

135. Pence and the Republican speaker as VP is the legal order of succession.

Republican party picked Pence in the first place because they all knew what trump was for years. They knew trump may not last as president, that's why they let Pence do all the real transition work.

[KittyWampus]

142. Wrong again. Pence is in line to the Presidency. Ryan is not in line as VP.

[Sunlei]

145. I know Pence would be the president, who is VP if not the "speaker of the house" as VP?

Here it is off wiki


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_line_of_succession


1
Vice President Mike Pence (R)

2
Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan (R)

3
President pro tempore of the Senate Orrin Hatch (R)

4
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (R)

5
Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin (R)

6
Secretary of Defense James Mattis (I)

7
Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R)

8
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke (R)

–
Secretary of Agriculture

[LiberalFighter]

172. 25th Amendment specifies as follows in Section 2

Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

[Sunlei]

177. yes, it will be Pres Pence and VP Ryan. This is something Republicans have planned for over a year.

They knew what kind of person trump was but he brought in the votes, connected early for republicans primary. so they backed him.

Worse case is he loses the presidents seat. Pence & Ryan currently do ALL the needed White House work & can step in at a moments notice. Trumps always been kept OUT of the Republican parties inner loop.

currently trumps very useful to RWingers, they can push their worse changes agenda they have always wanted, changes even worse than bush days. trump loves to "destroy people'. By the millions is even more fun for him.

[Sunlei]

146. by the way the list I posted IMO, half of them are backed by Russia

IMO

[MineralMan]

8. That's one possibility for the glum faces.

However, there is another possibility. If Comey came there and told them he wasn't going to discuss it at all with Congress, that might have generated similar looks. However, Feinstein clearly said that the information they had gotten was highly classified and she couldn't talk about it. That would seem to argue that they heard something extraordinarily troubling in their meeting.

I wish this would all become public soon, so we can all share in discussing it.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

11. I think we'd see a more annoyed and angry Feinstein if it was a matter of Comey obstructing.

This wasn't really annoyed and angry, though. More like shellshocked.

[MineralMan]

20. I agree, really. I'm hopeful that what was revealed

will soon become public information. We truly need to know, and soon.

[TBA]

112. I think Comey was blackmailed into bringing up the Hilary Email issue.

He knew it was a violation of the Hatch act but did it because he had to.

I think the Russians have the capability of blackmailing whoever they please and/or they can blackmail the whole country (bring down the power grid? shut sown the internet? crash the economy?)

I think Feinstein was shown that capability.

This is all just my speculation. But if we see the Dems softening on the investigations this might be why.

[Blanks]

136. Another alternative is that they...

The Russians, have something on more of the members of congress and cabinet than we know.

One of the huge problems is the ability of entities to secretly give money to candidates, as a result of the 'Citizens United' ruling.

What if what they are holding over these republicans (and some democrats) is that they received campaign contributions from the Russians and they're afraid they'll be outed by the Russians.

How would that look to their constituents?

[Sunlei]

147. from what I gleaned over months- Russians paid people using the "russian pensions" system.

Russians in America apparently get sent money and apparently that banking system wasn't sanctioned.

Perhaps it may have been easy for Russian banks to overpay "pensions" to some Russians in America. Plenty of extra cash to pay "unknown others".

just my opinion.

[The Sand Reckoner]

149. Sorry, but Citizens United did not allow

candidates to accept campaign contributions from foreign governments, secretly or otherwise. Not remotely. Please read the decision before you say such silly things.

[Blanks]

159. OK, then the candidates broke the law...

By unknowingly accepting funds from the Russians (or their PACs accepted funds from non-profits with a lot of Russian funds) and the candidates are being threatened that they will be outed.

The point is that a lot of these republican politicians seem to be going along with Trump beyond the point where it makes sense.

When his approval rating first dipped below 40%, more of them should have started looking out for themselves by putting some distance between themself and Trump.

When Flynn resigned and the Russian connection started rearing its ugly head, a smarter person would stop marching lock step with Trump, and start worrying about their own career.

That's just my tinfoil hat theory.

[The Sand Reckoner]

166. Oh, I have very little doubt that the Russians have dirt

On quite a few Republican politicians (and probably some Democrats, too). Mostly sexual, I would guess, but maybe a few other things. This could get very ugly for a lot of people.

[Blanks]

170. Thanks for pointing out...

That 'Citizen United' doesn't allow the donating party to be kept secret, but that seemed to be one of Obama's issues during the 2012 campaign. Where did that come from?

[The Sand Reckoner]

175. Citizens United wasn't even about

direct campaign contributions. It did not change the law regarding those at all.

[politicaljunkie41910]

156. I doubt that Comey could have been blackmailed over something like the Hatch Act. Should he have

been found to have violated the Hatch Act, at worse he would have been fired, more likely he would have been asked to resign. With his accumulated years of service, he would have retired and someone in the private sector would have hired him immediately.

AS far as the Russians blackmailing him over some of the other things you suggested, i.e. shutting down the power grids, internet, crashing the economy, etc are potentially catastrophic in nature, I don't see it happening. Comey would know the vast resources of the US Government and none of those things mentioned, though perhaps catastrophic, could not be undone.

[bdamomma]

123. Based on her emotional state

she did look really troubled. Again another poster said to monitor Grassley regarding his actions and I would also like to include Senator Feinstein in that equation also.

[lindysalsagal]

160. Exactly. It wasn't defiance, it was loss. Irretrievable loss.

[still_one]

14. I think the most probable explanation is that Comey told them nothing, and that the investigation is

still on going and they would have to wait.

The report implied that the Deputy AG confirmation is still in limbo, so my impression is Comey told them nothing

[MineralMan]

21. That's possible, but I believe Feinstein would have reacted

with anger if that were the case. I did not see any anger from her.

[itcfish]

54. I Saw Fear & Anger

I also saw shame in Grassley

[still_one]

64. This feels a lot like the Iran/Contra scandal to me. Actually, Reagan should have been impeached

on that

[lunatica]

80. He claimed he knew nothing about it

And I can believe that because I wonder if Nancy would haves allowed it. She would never let something happen that would cast any doubt on his Presidency. I think Nancy knew everything he knew.

[still_one]

114. He knew. He was a big fan of the contras

[LAS14]

27. I think if Comey had said he wouldn't talk about it, she/they would have looked frustrated. nt

[Sunlei]

139. trump didn't spew tweet 'covers' so it must be bad news for him/republicans

[lagomorph777]

9. Links

https://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/senate-intel-leaders-feinstein-and-grassley-grim-and-silent-after-trump-russia-briefings-with-comey/

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/324194-fbi-director-briefs-top-senators-on-russia

[progressoid]

127. thnx

[still_one]

10. Harry Reid alluded to this in October. So did John Lewis. However, I am not so confident that

trump will be removed. If that were the case, they couldn't keep a lid on it

[ailsagirl]

29. So this isn't grounds for removal??

God, what does it take????????

[still_one]

46. I didn't say that, I am just speculating, and basing it on the fact that the republicans control

both houses. Yes, I am quite cynical, because much of this seems like running in place.

I see this going very much the way the Iran/Contra happened.

Reagan should have been removed from office for that. I would venture that most people are not even aware of it.

I hope I am wrong

[ailsagirl]

55. It's hard not to be cynical, still_one

I'm trying to hang in there but it's tough-- never know what's going to happen from day-to-day-- even hour-to-hour

I miss Obama's steady hand at the helm!!

[still_one]

60. 2018

[ailsagirl]

61. Yep

[msanthrope]

122. Blow jobs. apparently. nt

[bdamomma]

129. exactly how about

high crimes and misdemeanors?? or does that POS have to get millions of people killed for these issues to be resolved.

Un-chartered waters alright, these are deep turbulent dark waters.

[onetexan]

35. If congress will not remove Agent Orange and there is clear evidence

then the collective outcry of the public will force their hand.

[itcfish]

47. They Will Not Remove Him

Until they get their rightwing agenda through.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

96. Was a good but sad article a while back - the different mechanisms to get rid of him - and

bottom line 1/2 repukes had to be on board which probably wouldn't happen ?

[crappyjazz]

12. You nailed it.

I thought they both look defeated. Like they didn't know where to start to fix it all or if it would ever be fixed.

Here is what I worry about. If Trump truly colluded with the Russians, or worse, he is in office because he is compromised or really is a Manchurian candidate, what does America do about this? I'm being serious here.

Do they start public proceedings to oust him and bring into the light that the great world power America was almost toppled from within while a complicit media and some IC members helped it happen? That many people in power were willing to throw democracy away for oil dollars? What does that do for the future of America?

Or do they do it all behind closed doors. Force Trump to resign over some pretense like illness and keep it all quiet so as not to appear vulnerable?

Do they make it political or do they do what is best for the country?

[Pacifist Patriot]

24. These are questions I have been pondering with a sick stomach all along.

I hope everyone who is anxious to get this out in the open also appreciates the enormity and gravity of the crisis. We've never faced anything like this in our nation's history. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it may be better in the long run for this to unravel at a controllable pace so decisions can be made with the best information available and with careful deliberation.

I know we're all anxious for the GOTCHA! moment, but if that comes before those in positions to resolve the crisis know what their options are and what the best option may be for the country, we could possibly be screwed even more than we are now. Hard to imagine, but things could easily be much worse. And I fear they will be.

[FakeNoose]

72. The Supreme Court can nullify the election results

If the evidence is there and incontrovertible, SCOTUS can nullify the election.

That means both Trump and Pence were NOT inaugurated on January 20th, and I guess that means Obama is still the President.(?)

The country would have to start over with a new election, and hopefully all-new candidates.
Obama would remain POTUS until the new election. He can still be President for 2 more years, according to the Constitution.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

113. Can they?

I mean, it's never been really tested, so hypothetically you could argue that they could. But you can argue just about anything.

I don't know where they'd draw the constitutional connection in being able to order up new elections without any sort of written mechanism to do so. I think you're just thinking wishfully here.

[FakeNoose]

117. Somebody has to take it to the Supreme Court

They'd better get moving too.

Maybe the ACLU?

[Cosmocat]

25. I can say with absolute confidence that Trump will NOT resign

under any circumstances.

In fact, IF we see the improbable and republicans actually do what needs to be done if this is as bad as it looks, even if they try or do impeach him ... not sure what he will do, but he won't take that well, either.

[maryellen99]

73. Wouldn't he have to though to get Secret Service protection?

He's most likely in debt to some "bad hombres".

[usaf-vet]

131. I'm frighten you are right he will not leave even if it take starting a shooting war

somewhere so he can use the "trump" card of "we are at war" you can't attack a president when we are at war. The tail wagging the dog.

[yardwork]

34. The problem is that the Republicans hold majorities in both houses of Congress.

There is no "they." Or rather, there are two "theys."

There are Republicans, who control what Congress will and won't do. Republicans control all the committees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. They decide what bills get discussed. They decide what investigations - if any - get opened. They will chair all such hearings. We know how the Republicans will handle this. We see how Ryan and McConnell are acting.

Then there are the Democrats. They have no power in Congress to open investigations, hold hearings, or advance bills. All the Democrats can do is talk to the press. They can give interviews - if anyone will interview them. Fox News won't give Democrats a fair platform. Breitbart won't. Facebook won't. Democratic senators and congress people can talk to the New York Times or the Washington Post, but the people they need to convince don't read or trust those sources.

And issues involving national security aren't typically discussed with the media.

So I'm not sure how we get out of this mess.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

37. My hope is that if heroic patriotism doesn't work here, purely selfish ambition will.

Trump will be too toxic for anyone want to associate with him, any further association with him would be a death sentence in terms of public perception, and they'll be all to eager to want to cut bait.

It's pure cowardice, but at this point, the ends will justify the means.

[yardwork]

40. We'll see. The Republicans are in pretty deep.

Personally, I think that Democratic senators and representatives need to start making a lot of noise.

However, there are obviously serious national security implications. The Democrats are acting like grown ups.

[MFM008]

58. Look at how his

"Budget" devastates the state department . Another gift to his Russian overlords.

[cilla4progress]

13. When do we learn what happened?

3/20?

[wiggs]

15. Three Days of the Condor: 'How do you know they will publish it?'

Brilliant and unsettling end to the movie....relates to current issues too.

How will we know that everything between Trump and Russians is made public?

[FakeNoose]

75. Keep watching Rachel Maddow

Somebody will talk sooner or later.

It's being passed around to too many different people for it not to come out.
I'm betting Rachel will get a leak pretty soon, she's working very hard on it.

[Wounded Bear]

16. Some serious shit going on...nt

[smirkymonkey]

17. K&R

[samnsara]

18. i had that same impression.....

[Duppers]

19. Well said.

Thank you.

[PatSeg]

22. Yes

I think you nailed it. And in this case, I believe what she learned was even worse than she had speculated. This is not about politics anymore.

[Eyeball_Kid]

130. You said it right:

It looked like a "this is not about politics" moment.

[Javaman]

26. very rarely does something dramatic come along to change the way our government is effected...

WWII, Cuban missile crisis, watergate, 9/11...

however, I just got this very strange feeling (which means nothing), that we will wake up in a few weeks and indictments will be issued for not just tRump but a whole slew of people.

[byronius]

85. +1000.

Looks like that to me.

[Rebl2]

30. Maybe they

found out some of his children are involved in this as well.

[DK504]

32. I've never seen like this.

She looks like she knows we are swirling the drain. Hey DiFi !! You can help stop this.....as my former Senator, please getogether with the other Senators that understand the level of treason and corruption are so out of control, it may take decades to get us back. If we can.

[libtodeath]

33. My worry is that he will try to use the military to stay in power.

The idea of that could be what made her grim while knowing that he must be impeached.

[notdarkyet]

41. Yeah, I didn't like him appointing all those generals, but do you really

Believe they would turn traitors against us?

[libtodeath]

48. I dont know and hope not to find out.

[dixiegrrrrl]

50. He's doing a good job of pissing off the CIA, and the military, after Yemen.

It would take quite a few rogue military honchos to carry the day, I don't think that would be enough.
the border patrol/ICE guys tho, they have been reported as being happily gung ho abut tossing all the immigrants out,
and I am concerned about the qualifications they asking for if they hire the 10,000 more people.
Have pictures in my mind of Bannon and his Neo-Nazi guys recruiting like minded sorts.

[KPN]

62. Yep.

Increasingly, the way this is looking, it either has to ultimately end up in unseating Trump over the next two years max, or a police state will emerge to eliminate that possibility. That's just the way it looks to me -- too damned much smoke for there not to be fire. If he survives, it will be because of a police state.

[FakeNoose]

77. What's he going to do - nuke the Russians?

Ummm, nope!

[notdarkyet]

38. We need the truth. We deserve the truth.

[Heartstrings]

66. And we can handle the truth...

[safeinOhio]

39. She had the look of someone

that saw a review of trumps taxes.

[Stonepounder]

42. Strange, I am usually the pessimist around here.

But...

I think even the most venal unfeeling GOPer in Congress doesn't want to see the US become a vassal state of Russia. It things with TrumpInc are as bad as Feinstein made it look, I think even the GOP will impeach him and anyone else mixed up in all this. The alt-Right may have a vision of the future that is antithetical to what we here on DU have, but they still have a vision that includes them being in control of the USA, not Vlad the Impaler...er Putin.

(And, if they start down the road to impeachment, they will pass some sort of bill that prevents the Orange ShitGibbon from launching a preemptive nuclear strike without their approval.)

[bdamomma]

133. here is an article

about launching a pre emptive strike.

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/298046-dems-hit-trump-on-nuclear-weapons-with-bill-on-first-strike-policy

[creoledna]

51. I don't care about Trump but

I have the same feeling as post election... What will happen to our Country? Are all of the sacrifices and suffering by our ancestors for naught? Whatever happens will happen. Hopefully it will be the low point and we will have learned the lesson that division is not the answer.

[hurple]

52. My take...

Comey is in on it with team trump and spent the meeting going over with each of them the dossier the FBI has to blackmail each into going along with the Russian takeover.



(Actually, I am kidding about that... I hope)

[bdamomma]

134. another person I would like to hear from

is Rudy Giuliani

[spanone]

53. +1,000 %

[Timmygoat]

63. My fear

I cannot forget the fact that during the election I read a message that stated Comey had a Trump
sign outside his house.After that I am worried about Comey's actions.

[CanonRay]

65. I remember the tears at Watergate

but today's Republicans are unable to cry. It's been bred/trained out of them.

[uponit7771]

67. Similar expression I had after the 2nd doctor confirmed I had a brain injury, I balled though...

... I couldn't hold back.

I knew something was wrong, but after getting the hard evidence ... sigh

[Ford_Prefect]

68. The story here is not Impeachment but the impugning of the entire election.

Impeachment only removes #45 and does nothing to redress the larger list of crimes.

The outcome of the whole election is tainted by 3rd party and GOP interference. Specific actions taken by Trump and his enablers, including Pence and now it seems members of congress, constitute grounds for legal response. The problem as stated by others above is that Congress may be the only party who can act on some of the claims regarding #45 and his immediate staff.

As we have seen in the past the AG of a president under fire, who may himself be culpable, is the principle authority, though not the only one, who may pursue legal action against the cabal of traitors and un-indicted co-conspirators.

A special prosecutor is what we really need, and NOW. It took more than 2 years to complete the Watergate hearings and related legal actions, and even then not all the rabbits had been dug from the hole.

The GOP is staring at nothing less than the over throw of their most cherished dreams: the chance to up-end the federal Judiciary and bureaucracy to form a more perfect government which benefits their patrons and zealots alike. I do not see them as willing or able to do right thing.

[ancianita]

70. Persuasive. Yet how can we trust this GOP Congress to impeach based on classified findings. nt

[malchickiwick]

71. Very thoughtful OP -- Thanks!! Big KnR (nt)

[bigtree]

74. maybe. Hard to read body language.

...still, if there was nothing there, it wouldn't be classified to say so.

'No evidence of collusion, no investigation of Trump' isn't going to be highly classified.

Whatever they learned, it's more severe than a whiffle ball.

[yurbud]

76. if they had any of the goods before the election, we needed to know more than about Hillary's email

business.

[liquid diamond]

79. Republicans won't turn on their own

[Sunlei]

140. Republicans will scrape their russian collusion off on trump.He's NEVER been an R party insider.

[northoftheborder]

82. Hillary is very wise to keep her head down now. She may know some things.....

Whatever all this is - it ruined her life as far as leadership in office. She doesn't need to make herself a target of anything.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

98. ties back to her saying

"I am not going anywhere" - but it wasn't the typical - "no worries, I still care, I'll still be with the cause" - it was more of a I will be prez toned.

[maryellen99]

83. Is anybody else worried about civil unrest from the trump supporters

When the truth does come out and he either resigns or is impeached?

[bluedigger]

94. Not as much as I worry about the consequences of his not resigning or being impeached.

[maryellen99]

109. Me too nt

[bdamomma]

138. yes he is a danger.

Just a question for DU feedback.

At President Obama's last speech he even alluded to losing our Democracy thus he had to hurry to put certain measures in, but are they still in effect? .

[Nitram]

92. Convincing analysis, Tommy.

[SHRED]

95. If there is "positive proof"...

...then why are they sitting on it?

[True Blue American]

100. Grassley

Did not look so hot either. He looked as if he had been cold cocked. Did not say anything. But looked as if he did not know where to go.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

101. I just hope there's not some kind of peripheral action, however benign, that Obama

ordered. I have seen/heard the clip a bunch of times - Trump sure is acting like SOMETHING
specific is coming out. He can not for the life of him keep a secret. I work from home and have heard every word this man has said, consciously or sub-consciously - think I can actually tell when he's bullshitting trump whisperer - LOL

[SHRED]

102. We saw this movie before when Comey met with Gang of 8

I refuse to get my hopes up.

[True Blue American]

103. I just noticed that Feinstein said she

Would know how the Chairman felt and his tough questions,etc.

She is basically saying,Grassley is just what I said," shell shocked!"

[spixxen]

105. Perhaps more than their worst fears were confirmed?

[spixxen]

107. That moment in A Few Good Men when Kevin Bacon...........

.......immediately switches from lawyer to officer and has Jack arrested.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

178. Love that movie and love that part.

[czarjak]

106. Shoe droppings?

[Politicub]

108. Redo the election with hand-counted paper ballots

Maybe that's not constitutionally possible. But I didn't think the SCOTUS' selection of shrub was possible until it happened.

[JPZenger]

110. ... and it must really hurt them to not be able to tell people about it.

"I wish my mind didn't remember what my eyes have seen." - Detroit firefighter.

[ymetca]

111. Nothing will happen and we'll likely never know anything but innuendo

Why? Because the ruling class is global and America just another tool. The dismantling of democratic institutions is well under way.

All the flag-waving and "-exiting" of international laws and global civil rights is by design. Bought and paid for. Divide and conquer for fun and profit. Money is God and Property is King. Individual rights have no value in the New World Order, and must be ruthlessly trampled. Water is a commodity. Clean air, a trade-off. Poor people (the 99%) are mere "human resources" to be exploited, then discarded when broken. Into pits, if necessary.

Oligarchs have no need of patriotism for they are the true "global citizens" now, able to go anywhere, any time. But not the rest of us. No sir. No way. We must stay put and hunker down. Behind walls, we're told, to keep "the others" out.

You keep your gods and your guns, but We (the royal "We", the owners) get everything else.

Q: What happens when an entire administration is corrupt?
A: Nothing. Not a goddamned thing. Too risky to the "markets" to take it all down.

[Boomerproud]

150. In my heart I wish the OP read the body language correctly and that Trump is rightfully toast

But the fact remains-he gets away with EVERYTHING. He always has and always will. I will only be surprised if justice and truth win out. We need them to win out-quickly!

[mnhtnbb]

115. We will be lucky if Trump/Pence are impeached before 2018 because they are dismantling

the democratic government in this country as fast as they can with the collusion of Republicans in Congress.

Education? EPA? State Department? HHS? They could care less. And that goddamn wall? They're going
to seize property by eminent domain along the border. They are pulling families apart. They are turning ICE and Customs and Border Protection personnel into Gestapo goons.

Fu*king a$$holes. The lot of them.

It makes me very, very sad to see what this country has become.

[bronxiteforever]

116. Imagine the economic hit. If Watergate was a cancer on the presidency this is a

Cancer on the entire government, from election to military to foreign relations to international finance. If this is as bad as our educated guess, I cant imagine when the bleeding will stop.

Also, the longer it goes on the deeper the wound will be.

[bdamomma]

118. insightful post

thank you. We are all grown ups here we need to ready for anything.

K&R

[DownriverDem]

120. Excellent!

This is exactly why I will never understand folks who did not take what the political parties stand for seriously when they voted. I say this for the folks who didn't or couldn't vote for HRC. Instead they either didn't vote, voted third party or for principle/purity. If they had paid attention to the Dem Party Platform which contained a lot of what Bernie wanted, they would have voted for HRC big time. We are in for a horrible ride. Young folks are going to be hurt the most. If only they had listened to the warnings of Bernie, Warren, Obama and HRC, we would be watching left leaning programs moving forward instead of all the horrible cuts that will hurt we the people big time. I certainly hope folks have learned the lesson of this disgusting election.

[usaf-vet]

121. Tears... imaging the tears in the eye of parents when their young child (adult)

is sent off to fight a war in a foreign country. Korea, Vietnam, Middle East all to "support and defend the Constitution".
I feel no great sympathy for Congress members who have tears. Many have managed to avoid ever going to war themselves.

Feel sympathy for this generation of parents who will have their kids put in harms way because the country elected a crazy person who by all accounts should be impeached.

[rtracey]

125. with all due repect to all on this forum

Let's see what the evidence is being placed before the committees. Yes I agree that this situation (if true) would be quite a stab in the heart to this country, but I really think before we are crying / sulking / afraid of Fuckump supporters rioting, etc, we should hear what the FBI is going to say. Remember, this has another way it could go too... it can come back to kick the democrats ass if Comey decided to be a republican instead of the FBI director, oh wait where have I seen this scenario before? maybe in October right before the elect? maybe a release of info that meant nothing and was false, but aimed to hurt Ms. Clinton? so ...just count your chickens just yet.

[LAS14]

141. But it's fun to try to read body language. Let's hope..

.. we find out who was right. Just so we know, no matter what the facts turn out to be.

[Vinca]

126. That photo of them coming out of the meeting kept me awake last night.

Something big is on the horizon. I suspect it's a direct link to Twitler - no one would appear quite as stunned if it was Kellyanne cavorting with Vlad.

[bathroommonkey76]

164. Their body language indicates

their friends in Congress are also involved.

[Vinca]

167. Good point. I've been especially suspicious of Turtle Man.

[bathroommonkey76]

168. It's strange that him and Burr did not attend these meetings with Comey yesterday.

[nolabels]

148. Get a grip dude, this kind of skulduggery has been going on since time began

The day they gunned down JFK is a place that makes a good starting point backward and forwards.
Don't mind me, I have been just hanging around DU for the last fourteen years reading a lot about it

[The Sand Reckoner]

151. This would also precipitate an even greater divide

among the electorate in this country. We will have those who willingly, eagerly voted for a traitor, and those who didn't.

Though a year from now, you may not be able to find 10 people in the whole country who will admit to having voted for Trump.

I only hope the Democrats wouldn't come out of this with calls for "healing" and "coming together as a nation" or some shit like that. Their mantra would need to be that the GOP is the party of treason, and that anyone who votes for them is complicit.

[C_U_L8R]

152. Or you've just had to sit through a video

of a fat orange guy getting pee'd on by Russian hookers.

That's enough to ruin anyone's day.

[SmartRat]

157. "If you're going to strike the king..."

Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) wrote in The Prince (1505 in Italian, 1513 in English) what has been translated as “Never do an enemy a small injury.” If one is striking out at an opponent, one should make sure that the fatal blow is struck, successfully ending the confrontation. Machiavelli wrote that “the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge.”

[Nitram]

162. Why do you call it "tea leaf reading"? One reads tea leaves to predict the future. One reads body...

language to gauge a person's emotions.

[dchill]

176. K&R.

For relevance and truth.